Russia’s Announcement of So-Called ‘Martial Law’ Aims to Suppress Resistance of Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson Regions

The Russian Federation has started a new stage of terror in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. A corresponding statement was released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.

The Ministry underscores that the announcement of the so-called “martial law” by the Russian Federation aims to suppress the resistance of the residents of the Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions who oppose the Russian occupation. Even massive Russian propaganda is unable to disguise the failure of Russia’s efforts to annex Ukrainian territories.

“Putin’s decree is null and void. It has no legal consequences for Ukraine and its citizens, as well as for the international community. Instead, such a step is just another example of the crimes of the Russian leadership against the Ukrainian state and Ukrainians,” the diplomats underscore.

They add that Ukraine will continue liberating occupied territories and rescuing its people despite the agony of the regime in the Kremlin. The diplomats also call on its international partners to strongly condemn the intention of the Russian occupation administrations to deprive residents of the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine of even basic human rights under the guise of the so-called “martial law,” as well as to condemn their illegal plans to legalise looting, forced deportation, and mobilisation.

“We also ask to provide Ukraine with modern missile defence systems and air defence systems as soon as possible to protect our civilian population from Russia’s barbaric missile and kamikaze drone attacks,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine summed up.

Natalia Tolub